


Fury of the Sunwell

by nyteknight



Series: Dawnblade [5]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: F/M, M/M, Pre-World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:48:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28987356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyteknight/pseuds/nyteknight
Summary: Quick little two-shot between Battle and Shadowlands. Taking place in the same time setting as "Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms."
Series: Dawnblade [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099349
Kudos: 1





	1. Fury of the Sunwell

“So what are we waiting for here again Mate?” Flynn asked for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes.

  
“Our escorts” Shaw sighed as he checked his pocket watch for nearly as many times as Flynn had asked. “They’re late and that’s unusual.” Shaw continued to look towards the south, toward the road from where it led to Tranquillian. They had agreed to meet here and now she was 40 minutes late.

  
“That them?” Flynn said, breaking through Shaw’s thoughts. He had his spy glass out and was peering down the road at a pair of riders. On horseback, not those strange birds Shaw and he were riding. One was definitely one of those Elves…Sin’dorei Shaw had said. The other he couldn’t tell.

  
“Thank the light yes,” Shaw said letting out his breath he was holding, as the pair came closer. He recognized the Thalassian horses. The lead rider, a tall Paladin, split off from the other rider, urging his horse faster towards the pair.  
  


“Sorry about that, Lady threw a shoe and just about threw Celine and Tal’nir into the dirt.” The Elf looked down at Shaw. “Just about to search for us yourself?” He smiled at the master rogue.

  
“I was…” he paused, searching for the word, “worried.” Shaw said simply. For his part, the Paladin just laughed, and reined his horse back to face the approaching rider.

“He one of yours mate?” Flynn said, as he mounted the bird thingy. “One of your deep cover?” Flynn kept looking towards the paladin and had just noticed the small child seated in front of him on the saddle. Flynn thought he recognized the girl from Boralus, but to him, most children looked the same.

“No. He is very much a Sin’Dorei.” Shaw said, mounting his own Hawkstrider, a loan from Lord Theron. “She is one of mine.” By then, the other rider had caught up. The smaller rider was covered in faded green cloak, wrapped tightly around her and the saddle.

  
Celine laughed as she approached, catching the last few of Shaw’s words, and pulled back her hood, “I would be the rogue this time. Good to see you again Captain Fairwind.”

  
The Dawnblades had offered to accompany Shaw and Fairwind on the last few miles of the journey to Silvermoon. While Caeden had officially defected to the Alliance and Celine had always been, the armistice had given an excuse to allow these two into Quel’thalas. Celine knew Caeden’s heart had ached at the memory of his home and knew he wanted to share his culture with their young children. Celine, her home having been destroyed twice now, had written to Shaw at once for permission.

* * *

“Ann'da, what’s broke this?” Sophie asked her father, in Thalassian, as they neared Eversong Woods where the Dead Scar crossed the road again. The path had been mostly clear of the scourge but the remnants of those lost remained. Bones still littered the ground, left as a memorial to those who fell.

  
“A bad man did this. To hurt the people that live here.” It was Shaw that answered, to Celine’s surprise, in the same language, “He’s gone now. Your…your..”

  
“Minn'da,” Caeden said, supplying the word. He had noted that Shaw seemed to be picking up Thalassian more, but still struggled with some words now and then. He made a mental note to watch what he said around the spy master.

  
“Your Minn’da helped others to make sure he can’t come back and hurt anyone anymore.” Shaw completed, looking at Celine. He wasn’t so sure how much Celine realized he knew about her. Her name, and the name of her father, had been whispered in his home, on the lips of his grandmother, long before he had met her. He knew Celine had been his counterpart in Lordaeron and he had relied heavily on her notes and what had remained of her spy network, when he was building SI:7. Some of the contacts he was to meet in Silvermoon had been hers once. When he had heard of her fate in Dalaran, it was he who pulled the strings to get her to Stormwind.

  
“He was a Prince. A Paladin like Ann’da. He wasn’t always bad. He thought he was helping his people but he was tricked by a demon. He did many bad things to many people because of that.” Celine said, her voice soft and full of emotion. Arthas and the Third War was a painful memory to her, even more so now with Lordaeron falling once again and Calia Menethil’s appearance.

They rode in silence the rest of the ride. Somewhere near Fairbreeze Village, the children had fallen asleep in the saddle. On Shaw’s request, they stopped for the night. As Caeden put the children to bed, Celine saw to the horses. It was an excuse to be alone in her thoughts, to silence the dark memories. Shaw watched her closely. He had seen her like this a few times before, the last being in Felsoul Hold when she rescued him. Old Ghosts is what she called them. Usually, he left her alone when she got like this. She didn’t share these memories with many. With a groan, he watched as Flynn approached her.

  
“How many died?” Flynn asked solemnly. He had been given a primer on the Third War but to see these people still carry the memory like this. To see it so personalized.

  
“About 90% of the Quel’dorei that were Eversong. Many died fighting to the last breath.” Celine said. “My husband lost most of his family.”

  
“You’re not an Elf” the sailor said, offering Celine his flask. “But these are your people too. I see the way you look at the Dead Scar. You lost people here too.”

  
Celine looked at him. The Pirate was mostly talk and bolster, but right now she was seeing a different side of him. Perhaps a side that only Shaw had seen before her. She knew now that the drunken fool was just a front, the real Captain Fairwind was kind, loyal and optimistic despite having, probably a rough life. She took the offered flask. “Here and in Lordaeron. I was here when this happened. I saw the horrors. In some ways, I am more Sin’dorei then I am human.” She knocked back a long drink.

  
“Sin’dorei…blood elves…right..jolly name” Flynn said, taking the offered flask back from Celine.

  
“Children of the Blood. That’s the true translation. To honor the sacrifice of those who had fallen. The past is not easily forgotten here. Hurts are remembered, as well as debts and help. Many here still remember when Kul Tiras and Gilneas refused to help during the Second War. We never had a chance during the Third War.” She was looking to the west, towards the sea. As if she could see the ships on the horizon. The ships that never came.

  
“Many here remember the help that Lordaeron sent, on the encouragement of a certain human spymaster.” Shaw said out of the darkness. Celine’s openness with Flynn had encouraged him to have this specific talk. “Including saving some of them from genocide in Dalaran.”

  
Celine startled, not realizing Mathias was so close. It had been a long time since he was able to sneak up on her like that. She looked at him for a long moment, considering his words, “Of course you would know. The question is for how long?”

  
Shaw gave her a rare smile, taking the flask from Flynn, “Who do you think forged that paperwork that got you to the Stockades? Best damn work I’ve done.”

Flynn was silent most of the trip. In awe Shaw thought. Celine and Caeden talked while they road, pointing out landmarks, talking about the land before the Scourge, both to their young children but also to Flynn. Flynn for the most part, took the married couple in stride. He had worked with Celine briefly in Kul Tiras and never had made the connection to her being a spy until last night. Dawnblade, he was assured, was very much a Paladin without any subterfuge attached to him. Every once in a while, Shaw thought he caught Flynn looking at the Paladin closely. Expecting him to say a passphrase or take a hidden dagger out from somewhere.

“Blimey, it’s beautiful” Flynn said in awe as they rode past the Shephard’s gate and the statue of Kael’thas. They were drawing a crowd, the three humans and one Sin’dorei. Flynn’s jaw hadn’t shut since they neared the city. It seemed Lor’themar went all out. Banners were flying high in the crisp breeze.

  
“Hmm…I thought that too the first time I saw it.” Celine said. It had been a different gate, now destroyed, but the city was just as beautiful then as it was now. They rode in silence towards the Court of the Sun. Shaw and Flynn were officially here on Alliance business as emissaries. There was protocol that had to be observed. Both were clad in clean clothing, and in Shaw’s case, dress armor. Caeden of course was in his heritage armor, a shining figure in red and gold. Celine, neither being an emissary nor Sin’dorei was dressed simply. But she had donned her old dark green Farstrider cloak. Both of their children, the nearly 4 year old Sophie and the toddler Tal’nir, were dressed like their father, in clothing of the Sin’Dorei. The children’s eyes were wide as they took in the city and the people around them. Children in the long-lived race was rare, even rarer was two half-elven children.

  
“He was the one to greet me then as well…” She said with a slight smile. They had arrived at the Court of the Sun. Waiting for them was three leaders of the Sin’dorei and a rather grand continent of Farstriders and Bloodknights. Shaw had dismounted and bowed low, first to Lore’themar, then to Halduron and Grand Magister Rommath, and finally to Lady Liadrin who stood a short distance away. Flynn followed his example.

  
Caeden and Celine stood away from the formalities, with their children. Letters of safe passage and conduct were exchanged as were a few gifts. Being the first of the Horde nations to host Alliance emissaries was a big deal. Baine had personally signed the letter of safe passage for Shaw and Flynn. Caeden and Celine were simply visitors.

“If you’re going look like a Farstrider, you need a better cloak at least. That one has seen better days.” Hauldron broke away from the group, approaching Celine. He knelt in front of Tal’nir, who cling tightly to his mother’s legs, and Sophie, speaking words of greeting in Thalassian. Caeden looked on in pride, as his daughter, returned the greeting properly.

“Are you still trying to make me one of you?” Celine said in a less formal greeting. Lor’themar had caught her eye and gave her a slight nod of greeting as he led Flynn and Shaw to their rooms. There would be time to catch up with him Celine knew. His duties had and always will come first.

  
“l I hear you have a budding mage and paladin, so I need someone in the Dawnblade family. Aethas and Liadrin already made their claims. Of course, we could always have a human in the Farstriders.” Halduron smiled. This old argument. Haldruon had been trying to recruit Celine for decades. Ever since he watched her shoot a bow with Tae’Thalon.

  
“While I will never be a Farstrider, sorry, hopefully old friend, this armistice will hold and once again there will be a Sin’dorei and a human, fighting side by side again.”

* * *

“Oh by the light, she’s drunk. They all are.” Caeden paused outside of the study’s door. He could hear laughter, Celine’s light tone above the deeper male voices.

  
“I haven’t heard him laugh like that in ages” Beside him, Liadrin spoke softly, before pulling him away “Let them have this moment. The three of them need to have some good memories of the past.”

Halduron was halfway in a grand tale of new recruits almost peppering their Regent Lord with arrows during the first day of training. “So there was Lor’themar, running full speed, trying to get to across that field.”  
“Hrmph. I was simply testing my skills. One has to remain in practice of course.”

  
Celine laughed, a bit too loudly. They had all let their guards down. A few bottles of wine and it was old times again. Lore’themar and Halduron, both Farstrider Ranger Lords, and she, a human mate to one of their own.  
“You still write poetry, Lor?” Celine asked, looking to a well worn leatherbound tome on his desk.

  
“On occasion. I’ve had the inspiration to take it up again.”

  
Halduron grinned widely.

  
“Oh would this be a certain Dusk Lily? The one in Suramar?” The moment Celine spoke, her eyes went wide.

  
“HA! The spy speaks finally.” Halduron laughed, as he poured himself another.

  
“Is that her official code name now? Dare I ask what mine is? And yes. Since we are speaking freely here and I don’t believe anything said here will be remembered in the morning. She is my recent inspiration. Now my turn at the questions…do you still sing?” Lor’themar turned the questions onto her now.

  
“With what time? I have two children and a whole Horde council to spy on.” She countered, having another sip.

  
“You have a beautiful voice. Your Paladin and children could be your inspiration. Is it true that Shaw is putting you into the leadership ranks of Stormwind Intelligence?” Lor’themar was relentless.  
“Now where did you hear that rumor?”

  
Lorthemar gave her a crypic smile, “You have your ears, I have mine.”

  
“Ah. It seems I need to practice some of my skills then. I’ve grown soft if I let a Sin’dorei spy into my city and I didn’t even know about it. Well another one besides Valeera. And no, he hasn’t asked. There is no truth to that rumor”

  
“Would you? Take it if offered?”

  
“……you know I’m not sure.”

  
“This armistice may be temporary. Or there may be a new foe that continues to unite us. You have something you never had during the third war. I would hold on to it as long as I can.”

“Are you going to take your own advice then too?” Celine leaned forward, “This is the first time I’ve seen you so at ease Lor, since, since belore I can’t remember.”

“Since he was made a Regent Lord” Halduron added quietly.

  
“I’ve had to sacrifice for our people’s survival.”

  
“and now? You have allies, Silvermoon is rebuilding. It’s time for you to rebuilt your life too.”

* * *

“How’s the head?” Caeden asked with a slight smirk. It was light out by the time Celine made it to bed. She was far from sober then.

  
“Kill me now.” She swayed in her saddle; her hood drawn up shielding her eyes from the sun.

  
“What were you even drinking? The three of you could be heard all over the palace.”

  
“I’m not sure. It started with Suntouched Reserve, then came out some stuff from Pandaria and I think it ended with something from Suramar. There might have been something else in between.”  
“Was it worth it?” He asked, with a smirk on his face. Celine was hung over. He had not seen her so out of control since Dalaran. But this time it wasn’t self-distructive. But he supposed she didn’t feel comfortable enough to let her guard down like that.

  
“By the light yes. Thank you for giving me the time.”

  
“I almost interrupted. Liadrin pulled me away. Said she hadn’t heard Lor’themar laugh like that in ages. I didn’t know that man was capable of laughter.”

  
“There is a lot to him that many never see. He’s very insightful, romantic even. He writes poetry for lights sake.” She sighed, “In running from the pain, I forgot how much I missed the good times. We were 20 years in the past. Before the Scourge, before the Sunwell. Two rangers and myself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preview of Chapter Two
> 
> “These were recovered after the war. It took me years to break some of the ciphers. I can’t even figure out the older ones.” He said by way of explanation.
> 
> “That’s because they were my fathers."


	2. What is Due

“Shaw?” Celine asked, knocking on the door to his office. They had parted ways in the Plaguelands. Shaw and Flynn to continue on to Undercity, the Dawnblades returning to Stormwind. She had heard they had returned. Or more specifically heard Flynn’s boisterous voice coming from the direction of SI:7.

  
“Come in Addington” He said, a bit muffled.

  
Celine entered, curious to what had Shaw busy. He was usually upfront. She had simply received a letter to come see him. Unsigned, unsealed.

  
Shaw was placing a stack of old tomes on his desk. Leather bound journals by the look of them. Familiar leather-bound journals. She looked at him curiously.

  
“These were recovered after the war. It took me years to break some of the ciphers. I can’t even figure out the older ones.” He said by way of explanation.

  
“That’s because they were my fathers. You’ve had my journals all the time.” She said. She wasn’t sure what to feel. She was a bit angry, a bit betrayed but yet not.

  
“Since I recruited you, yes.” Shaw had the decency to look abashed. “Your network helped build mine. Though I admit it was hard, some of your contacts told me rightly to piss up a rope. Others had died or disappeared during the chaos. At first, I wasn’t sure I could trust you. I heard the charges, read the evidence, and made a…a very inaccurate picture of you. But I needed competent people, so I was willing to overlook a mur..” Shaw stopped suddenly, dipping his head in apology before clearing his throat. “Then I got to know you and know the truth….well…I didn’t do the right thing.”

  
“I don’t understand, Shaw.”

  
“I’m giving you a new position. I need more eyes and ears at the higher levels. Renzik and I can only do so much. I need you in command under Renzik and I. I want to give you the credit that is rightfully due to you.”

  
“How long have you been thinking about this?” She took a seat across from him, relaxed enough now.

  
“Honestly, a very long time. I wonder if I had insisted on it earlier, you wouldn’t have left. But since Dazar'alor, it’s been on my mind again. I’m not offering, you can’t turn me down. It’s a done deal signed by Renzik, the king and I.”

  
Celine raised her eyebrows. “I could always resign. You know I don’t like my hand being forced like this.”

  
“You could, but read this first before resigning…please.”

  
Shaw handed her a rolled and sealed parchment. Sealed with the King’s signet. Celine raised a brow and took it, breaking the seal with a practiced movement. Her eyes widened as she read it.

  
“Full exoneration. And my personal apology. This was owed to you for a long time now and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was afraid that if….if you didn’t feel indebted to me…that you would leave. So I watched the guilt eat at you. Watched the rumors and looks and turned a blind eye. I watched you fight your demons alone and be overwhelmed by them. And I did nothing. I lied to myself when you left. Told myself you wanted to go, that it was better that way.” Shaw sighed, “After Felsoul Hold, I realized how wrong I was and how badly I had wronged you. This apology is 14 years late but it is all I can offer.”

  
“Flynn has changed you. The old Matthias would have considered it an acceptable risk and moved on. But…but you’re finally seeing the human impact of your decisions.” Celine bowed her head, considering a moment, “I…I accept this apology and the intent behind it. I do owe you for my life. You…You saw what was done to me. And without the Silvermoon mission, I wouldn’t have met Caeden. I will consider things settled between us on that matter.”

  
“I’m not the only one that changed it seems. It seems you have come to terms with the past. Maybe even healed from it a bit.”

  
“A bit. I don’t think those scars will ever heal completely but they are healing.”

  
She turned to leave, then paused. “And Shaw…I want my own office. With a window.”

* * *

He found Celine where he knew he would. Out by the Lighthouse in the harbor. Looking out to sea. “Celine?” Caeden said, coming closer to her. Celine handed Caeden both letters, her eyes still on the setting sun. “An exoneration.” He snorted, “you were never guilty in the first place.”

  
“That’s why it’s not a pardon. It’s late but it’s something.”

  
“Yes, it’s something. Did you accept, of course you accepted. Did the promotion come before or after?”

  
“Before. And Shaw acknowledged my work as well.”

  
“Sure Shaw is Shaw this time?” Caeden said, looking at the letters again.

  
“Not funny. Shaw had me thinking though, about our family. Most SI:7 agents don’t retire. We either are found somewhere with a knife to the back, or not found at all. This position pushes me back into the light from random spy to ranking SI:7 member. But it also affords our family visible protection from the Alliance. It’ll be harder to make me disappear when my death would be noticed immediately. And dealt with harshly. You wouldn’t have to worry if I didn’t come home one night.”

  
“Being married to a Highlord does that as well. Though sometimes I feel the spy role suits you much better then Highlord Dawnblade does me.” Caeden said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him.

  
“Even in the darkest of times, you never forsook the light. It remembers. You help guide others back when lost in the darkness. The title may be uncomfortable to you but it is who you are.”

  
“You’d be based here in Stormwind then. Would we have to move back to the city?” He and Celine had moved to Redridge shortly after her return from Kul Tiras. It was close to Stormwind but far enough from it that the worry faded from her. They had spent a lot of time in Stormsong Valley while he was in Kul Tiras. She had liked the simple, modest homes. The gentle people. And with their growing family, they needed a bigger place. He and Celine had settled just outside of Lakeshire.

  
“No. We may have some more shadows around our home, but we can remain in the valley. Shaw’s starting to realize the value of having a home to come back to.”

  
“I’m sure a certain Kul Tiran captain had something to do with that.”

  
“I’m sure as well. It seems Lor’themar isn’t the only one with a new presence in his life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working on a Shadowlands story right now called Beyond Reach. I will be posting as I write it so updates will be much slower in between. It'll focus a lot on that mysterious Death Knight that has been introduced as well as Caeden's personal demons. The first few chapters have been written but need a polish before posting. Look for Chapter 1 in a week or so.
> 
> Preview of Beyond Reach
> 
> “By the Light, what has she done?” Caeden swore, his gaze riveted on the broken sky.
> 
> “The unthinkable. She has broken the power of the Lich King.” The pale former human looked even paler, scared, as he too looked up at the sky.


End file.
